Shanghai is a shopper's paradise in every sense of the word. From inexpensive silks to antiques, both real and feigned, to designer knockoffs and the bona fide designer goods with the price tag to match, Shanghai has everything to offer. Antiques and pearls from Tai Lake are a good buy if you can spot the real from the fake.

Silk is also an excellent buy, being a fraction of the price abroad. Tea and teapots are also popular with tourists and prices vary drastically from ¥10 for mass-produced pots sold on the street to ¥20,000 in exclusive teashops.

Nanjing Lu is known as the commercial center of Shanghai, and it offers imported luxury goods from abroad as well as local treasures. The walking street has recently been overshadowed by the luxury options offered on Huaihai Lu.

Located in the French Concession, Huaihai Lu is the major modern shopping street in Shanghai. The Dongtai Lu Antique Market and Xintiandi are both a short stroll away. Department stores such as Isetan grace the streets and the Xiangyang Market, the place to get fakes in Shanghai, also lie on Huaihai Lu. Knock-offs at Xiangyang Market are no longer limited to purses and wallets. From sports jerseys, shoes, Mont Blanc pens, Tiffany's jewelry, electronic goods, Samsonite suitcases, and clothing, Xiangyang is full to the brim with fakes.

Shanghai is not just a place for street shopping. Enormous department stores, from the 8 floor tall Superbrand Mall in Pudong to the Grand Gateway Mall in Xujiahui, Shanghai is home to China's largest malls. Even Ikea and Walmart have found their place in Shanghai, making the city a true shopper's haven.